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MIButterfly

(305 posts)
Wed Apr 16, 2025, 08:30 PM Apr 16

My cat, Holly, hates having her belly touched.

She absolutely will not have it and she does not play. Her ears go up; her teeth get bared; her claws come out; and she goes in for the kill. Today, I found out the hard way she doesn't like having her back legs stroked either.

I guess all that's left is top of the body petting and around the face scritches since she has so many "do not touch" zones.

8 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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My cat, Holly, hates having her belly touched. (Original Post) MIButterfly Apr 16 OP
Funny how each one is different.. Permanut Apr 16 #1
Here's a handy cat-petting chart: chia Apr 16 #4
That's my Holly! MIButterfly Apr 17 #5
You're welcome! My cat's tail is a definite yes, but he also has petting aggression so even with chia Apr 17 #8
Cats definitely have preferences wendyb-NC Apr 16 #2
Mine loves belly rubs, my lap and starring at me. multigraincracker Apr 16 #3
Cats are all different when it comes to petting. ShazzieB Apr 17 #6
So true. MIButterfly Apr 17 #7

Permanut

(7,040 posts)
1. Funny how each one is different..
Wed Apr 16, 2025, 08:39 PM
Apr 16

Mine wants to be picked up, then within two seconds wants to go back on the floor.

chia

(2,541 posts)
8. You're welcome! My cat's tail is a definite yes, but he also has petting aggression so even with
Thu Apr 17, 2025, 06:08 AM
Apr 17

the parts he does love, I can't overdo it.

wendyb-NC

(4,196 posts)
2. Cats definitely have preferences
Wed Apr 16, 2025, 08:50 PM
Apr 16

One of my cat's doesn't like his belly touched. His sister, doesn't mind it.

ShazzieB

(20,347 posts)
6. Cats are all different when it comes to petting.
Thu Apr 17, 2025, 01:08 AM
Apr 17

My Logan, who was my baby boy from 2003 until his passing in January 2018, could not STAND to have his belly touched. He didn't seem to want to be petted at all at first, but I soon found that there was an area on his back where he was willing to be stroked. It took a while, but he learned to enjoy it, and the boundaries of the touchable area got bigger as time went on. But the belly was ALWAYS off limits.

A few months after he passed, we adopted Willow, who adores being petted and can't get enough of it. She even likes belly rubs. Sometimes, when she's in the mood, until she gets tired of it. She tends to get tired of it sooner than I would like, but it is glorious while it lasts!

On the whole, I think cats tend to be less into belly rubs than dogs. Ime, some like it, but usually only up to a point, and a lot of them never really go for it. Like everything about cats, we have to content ourselves with what they are willing to allow.

MIButterfly

(305 posts)
7. So true.
Thu Apr 17, 2025, 01:46 AM
Apr 17

My other cat LOVES belly rubs. She will grab my hand with her front paws, put her teeth on my hand (but never bite down), and kick with her hind legs, just like a kitten. She's almost 14 now and for the most part her kittenish ways are behind her, except that she still loves the belly rubs.

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